


Advice

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Robron Week 2020 [4]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron is a sap, Affair Era Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden, Family Bonding, Happy Husbands, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:41:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24171478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Robron week Day 4: affair + “I never took you for the romantic type, but I guess I stand corrected.”Belle comes to Aaron for advice
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Robron Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1740202
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	Advice

**Author's Note:**

> shh I cheated a little - it's Aaron *talking about* the affair with Belle rather than it actually being set during the affair. that counts! 
> 
> I'd give my left kidney for something like this to happen on the show

“Belle, hey, what are you doing here?” Aaron looked up from his paperwork to see his cousin walk into the portacabin.

“I uh… was hoping to talk to you. Kind of to you and Robert both. I need advice.”

Aaron frowned.

“Rob’s in Manchester for a meeting… he won’t be back for a while.”

“Right. Ok. That’s ok. I suppose you’re the only that really knows what I’m talking about anyway.”

“I am?” Aaron asked, wondering what Belle could possibly be talking about that he could help her with.

“I’m… seeing someone…” Belle started carefully. “Someone who is already married.”

_Oh_

“Oh…”

“Yeah…” Belle sat down at Robert’s desk.

“Has it been going on long?”

“I don’t really know… A while.” Belle said and Aaron nodded. “Well… longer than a while I suppose. Since January. Kind of longer… it’s just sort of been in the air since I first met him… last year.”

Aaron nodded and tried to keep his face set on neutral. He was the last person on earth who could judge her.

He got up to flick the kettle on.

“Brew?”

Belle gave him a small smile.

“Sure.”

“So… you and this guy… is it serious?”

“I… think so? I hope so. He says he loves me and wants to be with me… he even gave me this bracelet.” She held up her wrist.

“But…?” Aaron prompted. “You don’t believe him?”

“I want to. And I do believe he wants to be with me when we’re together… but then he goes back to his wife to play happy families with her and their daughter.”

“He has kids?”

Belle nodded.

“Yeah. One.”

“That’s… complicated.”

“You’re telling me.” Belle sighed. “How did you and Robert do that?”

“Well… Robert didn’t have kids when we first met… Well… only Lachlan… but it’s not like he was ever a dad to him.”

“But with Seb?”

Aaron shrugged.

“He was only a few months old when Rob and I got back together. He doesn’t know any better than that I’m his dad too.”

“Yeah I suppose so…”

“Is… your guy’s kid… old enough to know what’s going on if you’d go public and he’d leave his wife?”

“Yeah. Which is what makes it harder. I don’t want her to hate me but I’d be the one that ruined her parents’ marriage.”

“I’m pretty sure the guy had a thing or two to do with that too.” Aaron reasoned. “It’s not like you forced him to do anything.”

“I know… but I still feel responsible. I’ve tried to break it off… but…”

“You can’t stay away from him?” Aaron asked, remembering the feeling.

“Yeah.” Belle admitted. “When we’re together… it’s like… the best feeling in the world. I haven’t had that with anyone. Ever.”

Aaron nodded. He definitely remembered what that was like. From that first kiss in the layby he’d known that Robert was unlike any other guy he’d ever met and the thing between them was more than just sex.

“What was it like with you and Robert?” Belle asked. “Did things ever feel… normal? Like you almost forgot what you were doing and you were just… two people in love?”

Aaron smiled. The Robert of back then would have run a mile if someone had so much as suggested he was in love with another man.

“Yeah, yeah it did. He booked a hotel room for us once. A fancy hotel room where nobody knew us. We were just… us. A full night to ourselves and a late check out and Chrissie was none the wiser.”

“Did you ever feel guilty?”

“No.” Aaron admitted after a beat. “I barely knew Chrissie and I wanted Robert and he wanted me. I didn’t think about her much at all.” He told her. “But you do know his wife?”

“Yeah. I don’t know her well… but I know her. She thinks everything is alright and I’m just… someone she knows.”

“And you feel guilty?”

“Sort of?” Belle sighed. “I really like him and I want to be with him… but then I see her and their daughter and I just… I remember when my dad had an affair and it almost ruined the whole family.

“And then there is me and Rob. Who made it work.”

“Yeah. And it gives me hope.”

“What does he say about all this? The guy you’re seeing?”

Belle shrugged.

“Nothing really. He tells me not to worry and that we’ll be together soon. That it’s just complicated because he doesn’t want to lose access to his daughter.”

Aaron nodded and poured hot water on the tea bags.

“I guess it depends on whether you believe him or not. I can’t make that decision for you…”

“I know. It’s just… I want it to be true. I love him. I’ve tried not to… but I do. And I’m not sure what it’ll do to me if he never leaves his wife. If this is the best it’s going to get for us. Stolen moments and lies to be together.”

Aaron nodded again to show her he was listening and thought back to the days of his and Robert’s affair and the many lies they told to catch a private moment or two.

“Do you ever think about that?” Belle asked and Aaron realised he’d tuned her out.

“About what?”

“If Robert and Chrissie never had split up. And you would always have been the bit on the side nobody knew about.”

Aaron made a face.

“I try not to, to be honest. I used to, back in the day… and ask myself if I was willing to settle for that…”

“And?”

“Well I told Chrissie about the affair, so what do you think?” Aaron grinned. “I wanted all of him, not just a quickie in here or another hook up in a barn. I wanted normal with him. I wanted to wake up next to him, share my life with him. And I didn’t really care what I had to do to get it.”

“I want that too with Ja- the guy I’m seeing.” Belle said, her cheeks going red as she realised her slip up.

“Do you want to tell me who it is?” Aaron asked. “Nobody is going to hear anything from me, I promise. It’s just… nice to be able to tell someone.” He remembered the relief when Paddy had figured out the married man he was seeing was Robert. It didn’t really change anything about the whole situation but it was one person less to lie to and hide from.

The two of them were quiet for a few minutes. Belle seemed conflicted. Another feeling Aaron remembered well. He’d both loved and hated Robert so fiercely during those days. He’d been attracted to him while also wanting to punch his lights out.

“It’s Jamie.” Belle said eventually.

“Jamie… Tate?” Aaron asked. “The guy you work with? Kim Tate’s son?”

“Yeah… Kim knows. Or… knew. We kind of broke up because of her. She basically ordered me to stay away from Jamie.”

“And you listened?” Aaron frowned. He couldn’t imagine ever listening to anyone telling him to stay away from Robert. Not then, and definitely not now.

“No. Yes. Not really. It’s… complicated.”

Aaron gave her a small smile.

“Sounds familiar.”

“Sorry for dumping this all on you… but you were the only person I could think of that would understand.”

“It’s fine. I get it, I do. I’m here anytime you want to talk.”

“Thanks.” Belle said and sipped her tea. “Did you and Robert… did you ever feel he really loved you? That what you had was real? That he wasn’t just… using you for sex.”

“We used each other for sex really. In the beginning. But there was always… something just below the surface. We spent a whole week at Home Farm together. Chrissie and the rest of them were away and it was like it was our house and we were living there.” Aaron remembered. “The first few days we barely left the bed and we lived off pizza and beer… but around day 4 I think he actually cooked. He’s a really good cook and he actually loves doing it. He still does most of the cooking in the family. Marrying a chef has its perks.” He said with a chuckle. “But that night… we just shared a meal and talked about football and afterwards snogged on the sofa for ages.”

“Is that when you knew?”

“More like… that was the first time I saw the real Robert and I fell in love with him even more. Behind the smug grin, the expensive suits, and the attitude, there was this guy who just chatted about the new striker for Real Madrid while making curry and kept asking me if I liked the food.” Aaron told her. “And I just knew I wanted to make sure he was always as happy and carefree as that night.”

Belle smiled.

“I never took you for the romantic type, but I guess I stand corrected.”

“Yeah marriage made me soppy.” Aaron laughed. “It was messy, and complicated, and intense… and if I had a chance to go back in time I’d probably change some things… but not that week and definitely not that night.”

“I wish me and Jamie could have that… but we can’t even get an hour, let alone a week.”

“It can still happen. Don’t give up.” Aaron said. “If you’d told me 5 years ago that I’d be here now… married to Robert, twice, owning a house and a business together, raising a child and a second one on the way… I’d never have believed you. But here we are.”

“Yeah I suppose so.” Belle sighed. “I just don’t want to give myself false hope.”

“I understand. I was the same. He’d tell me he loved me but then he’d go back to Chrissie. I knew he meant it but I just… didn’t want to let myself believe it. Not when he’d tell her the same thing.”

“Exactly.” Belle nodded. “But seeing you two now… it gives me hope.”

Aaron chuckled.

“Glad to be of service.”

The door opened and Robert walked in, looking like he’d just walked off a photoshoot for office wear, making a beeline for Aaron.

“Guess what? I got the Spanish deal. They signed!” He said and happily accepted the congratulatory hug and kiss from his husband.

“I knew you could do it.” Aaron told him. “The presentation was solid. They would have been mad not to sign.”

“I love you and your confidence in me.”

“I love you too. And you deserve it.” Aaron emphasised his words with a kiss.

Robert smiled and suddenly remembered he’d seen another person in the cabin when he’d walked in.

“Oh hey Belle. Sorry about that.” He said sheepishly. “I didn’t interrupt anything did I?”

“Belle just offered to watch Seb for us tonight so we can have some time to ourselves.” Aaron jumped in as he sat back down “She’s a bit lonely now she’s split up with Ellis so she wants some cuddles from him to cheer herself up. And you know Seb gives amazing cuddles.”

“Really?” Robert asked, looking back and forth between the two of them, not exactly believing them but not wanting to call them out on it either.

“Yeah, absolutely. I love the little guy. Is 7 ok?” Belle asked, gathering her things.

“Sure, 7 is fine.” Aaron replied.

“Great. I have to go now… my lunch break is almost over… but I’ll see you at 7 then.”

“Alright. See you at 7. Seb is already looking forward to it.”

“Me too.” She said and left.

Robert sat down in the now empty seat across from Aaron and gave him a confused look.

“What was that all about with Belle? And don’t tell me she came to ask for a night of babysitting. Our son is cute, but not that cute.”

Aaron smiled at Robert calling Seb their son. Hearing it never got old.

“She just wanted someone to talk to. Get some advice.”

“Advice? On what?”

“She’s… seeing a married man.”

Robert’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline.

“Belle? Having an affair?”

Aaron nodded.

“I guess it runs in the family.”

Robert chuckled.

“Who is it?”

“I can’t tell you. It’s not my place.” Aaron shook his head. “She told me in confidence, I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone else. I just wanted to give her a chance to let someone in on her secret. One less person to lie to.”

“Is that how you felt… when we…” Robert trailed off. They never really talked about their affair, parts of it were still a sore spot for both of them.

“Yeah… kind of. When Paddy figured it out… I was relieved… in a way.”

Robert nodded.

“I told my mum…” he admitted. “I went to see her once after we’d made up after a fight. Instead of going back to Chrissie, I went to see my mum and talked to her for a while. I think that was the first time I admitted that what we had was more than just sex.”

Aaron grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“I wish she’d actually been there for you to talk to.”

“Yeah… me too.”

They sat in silence for a while, both getting lost in memories.

“Do you think you would have left Chrissie if I hadn’t blown the affair?” Aaron asked

“I… I like to think so… but I don’t know.” Robert admitted. “It would have taken me a hell of a lot longer to accept myself if you hadn’t kicked me out of the closet though, I know that much.”

“If you could go back in time… would you change things?”

Robert considered the question for a minute.

“Maybe a few things… but in the end it got us where we are today… and that’s pretty great.” He leaned forward and kissed Aaron. “Now what was that about a night to ourselves?”


End file.
